Inter-church Partnership Missions

Inter-church Partnership Missions (IPM) are formed between Emmanuel & Associates and evangelical churches both in North America and in the United Kingdom for the purpose of local outreach missions. This method of mission has proven successful over many years and is a ministry model that has taken place in evangelical churches around the United Kingdom.

COMMITMENT
The present IPM ministry model involves Emmanuel & Associates forming a three-year partnership commitment between North American (NA) and British churches. We have found that this amount of time is just about right to help the partnership churches bond together and be productive in ministry. It has been found that the “one off mission” becomes an event (and not a process) that soon fizzles after the mission is over. The three year commitment is much more productive because it helps churches to set longer range goals which give the ministry of evangelism time to work its way through the breadth of the churches and local communities that are involved. This three-year partnership also helps to prevent exhaustion or dependency on the part of either church in the partnership. At the end of the each year both of the IPM churches can evaluate and reassess the need to carry on for the next year. But, it is stressed that unless there is some major change of circumstances that the IPM will last for the duration of the three-year partnership commitment. Of course our vision to effectively communicate the gospel into every home in Britain hopefully suggests that the partnership between Emmanuel & Associates and the North American church be in place until we see the overall vision accomplished.

WHY?
Because there are many churches that are struggling and some that are dying. Some churches that truly want help can be restored with the help of their brothers and sisters in Christ who have resources that can be shared. While the IPM is not the total answer to all the problems churches have, the IPM teams usually work as a catalyst to the churches that they come to serve. The initial response to the IPM is that churches are encouraged and given hope. The overall purpose of IPM should be to *S.E.E.E. churches effectively communicate the Gospel into every home in their community city, and nation.

*(Serve, Encourage, Evangelize, and Equip)

WHEN?
The missions are usually (but not exclusively) in the summer for a period that is usually two weeks in duration. The dates of the mission are set each year by the two IPM churches.

WHAT?
In the past these missions have consisted of helping the host church in various ways.

   1) Outreach into the community by doing:

  • Door to door evangelism and surveys

  • Open air preaching and/or choir concerts

  • Street and park evangelism

  • Grace evangelism (i.e. washing windows, etc.)

  • School assemblies and cultural talks in classes

  • Evangelistic youth rallies and after school children’s clubs

  • Football camps (i.e. holiday bible clubs)

  • Seminars on evangelism (i.e. Contagious Christianity) for the church membership

  • Helping to establish Network Evangelism (Prayer, Care, & Share with
    unbelieving  people where we Live, Work, and Play). This involves Christians
    building “Trust Relationships” with the lost.

  • Family Fun Days

  • Etc.

   2) Evangelistic Meetings with a speaker

   3) Building work and renovation of existing premises

   4) Choir tour that involves the members of the choir in evangelistic meetings
       and other outreach events.

WHO?
- NA (North American – U.S. and Canadian) Churches:
In the past the NA church usually sends a mission team that has ranged from six to sixteen in number. The number depending on how many people that are needed by the UK Host Church and how many people the Lord has called to come on the mission from the NA church. The teams can be made up of youth, adults, or a mixture of ages depending upon what the focus and purpose is of the mission.

- UK Churches:
There should be an IPM strategy that links healthy stronger evangelical churches with churches that are weaker and struggling. The same format that is being used with NA/UK churches could be applied. Representatives from UK Churches that were interested in doing IPM with other UK churches could join in with IPM that are already being planned. They might be able to benefit from valuable hands on experience and then possibly lead a team from their church to do IPM in the future..

HOW?
In the past these IPM have been organized by Emmanuel & Associates that specializes in recruiting, coordinating and evaluating churches in NA and the UK to bring about a partnership. The travel expenses of these missions are the responsibility of the serving church because the host church usually is unable to afford this amount of expense. Sometimes the Host Church can financially afford to provide meals and accommodation in the church building or in member’s homes. When necessary the Serving Church will pay for their accommodation and meals in the local area. These types of arrangements are usually a result of a coordinated effort between the Serving and Host Churches.
EMMANUEL & ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL
- PO Box 8000 Drawer 8123, Laurel, MS 39441 USA (601) 649-1880
- PO Box 1365, Prince George, BC V2L 4V4 CANADA (250) 563-8263
- PO Box 73 Penygarn, Pontypool NP4 8XY UK 44+(0)1291-626308